Pressing apparatus for the pressure extracting of liquid

ABSTRACT

A pressing apparatus for the squeezing out of liquid from fibrous or granular material, particularly for the wringing out of laundry, consisting of a diaphragm press with a pressure member, the pressure chamber of which is covered by a diaphragm and a pressure medium being introducible into this pressure member to deform the diaphragm. In parallel with and underneath the diaphragm, a conveyor belt is extended which rests on a supporting member and is liquid-permeable. On this conveyor belt, the material to be pressed is moved from a loading station into the pressing station underneath the pressure member and further into the unloading station. In the loading station, a preforming unit is disposed to preform the laundry bale. Furthermore, the interior of the pressure member is constructed so that the laundry bale, shaped by the preforming unit, can be accommodated therein.

[ Sept. 30, 1975 PRESSING APPARATUS FOR THE PRESSURE EXTRACTING OF LIQUID Primary E.\'aminerPeter Feldman Attorney. Agent. or Firm-Craig & Antontclli 1 Neekargartaeherstrasse. 7 101 Frankenbach. Germany Aug. 26. 1974 [76] Inventor: Arnfried Meye 22 Filed:

ABSTRACT l l PP NQJ A pressing apparatus for the squeezing out of liquid from fibrous or granular material, particularly for the wringing out of laundry. consisting of a diaphragm press with a pressure member. the pressure chamber of which is covered by a diaphragm and a pressure medium being introducible into this pressure member [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Aug. 30, 1973 Austria 7532/73 [52] US. Cl. 68/242; 100/118; lOO/Zll to deform the diaphragm. In parallel with and underneath the diaphragm. a conveyor belt is extended B8 #1 6 01 311 B :0 41 7- 1 e 0 B0 ofi 0. A" m F mm a 6 Us nlu l 0 d m .mF UM 5-5.

which rests on a supporting member and is liquidpermeable. On this conveyor belt, the material to be pressed 1s moved from a loading station into the pressing station underneath the pressure member and fur- [56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS ther into the unloading station. In the loading station.

a preforming unit is disposed to preform the laundry 100/1 13 X bale. Furthermore. the interior of the pressure memi /l fi her is constructed so that the laundry bale. shaped by y X the preformlng unit. can be accommodated therein.

FORElGN PATENTS ()R APPLICATIONS Davidson Sulzmann........................

an m hC ST. AA 069 10 067 9999 HHHH 40099 07 W 551. .5 u iuw v @3660 n -fi siua 15 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures 1.172.242 Ill/W58 l00/2l l US. Patent se t.3b,1975 sheetlofzv 3,908,413

FIG. 1

PIC-3.2

FIG.3

PRESSING APPARATUS FOR THE PRESSURE EXTRACTING OF LIQUID BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a pressing apparatus for the wringing of liquid out of fibrous or granular material, especially for squeezing out laundry, consisting of a diaphragm press with a pressure member, the pressure chamber of which is covered by a diaphragm, a pressure medium being introducible into this pressure member to deform the diaphragm, and a liquidpermeable conveyor belt extended in parallel to and underneath the diaphragm and supported by a supporting member, this conveyor belt being movable, with the material to be pressed placed thereon, from a loading station into the pressing station underneath the pressing member and from there into the unloading station.

DAS [German Published Application] No 1,254,571 discloses a press having an electric pressure member disposed above a horizontal conveyor belt and being expanded, by the introduction of a pressure medium toward the material to be pressed lying on the conveyor belt. After the discharge of the pressure medium, the pressure member is contracted with the aid of springs and releases the conveyor belt for the subsequent transporting step. Since the material to be pressed lies on the conveyor belt with different heights, a correspondingly large amount of clearance must be provided which must be overcome by the pressure member by a great elastic deformation. Therefore, the elastic bellows of the pressure member meets the material to be pressed disposed underneath in an already tensioned condition and thus can contact the material and compress the same only insufficiently in case of major differences in the height of the material. Thus, the pressing result is unsatisfactory. Furthermore, the discharge level of the machine arranged upstream thereof, for example the washing machine, is normally low, and the charging opening of the subsequent machine, e.g., a dryer, is at a high level, in most instances. Therefore, it is necessary to add vertical conveyors in front of and/or behind the conventional pressing unit, in order to feed the material to be squeezed to the pressure unit and discharge the material therefrom. For these reasons, the expenditure in apparatus and the space consumed thereby are considerable. I

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Consequently, it is an object of this invention to improve the pressing apparatus with the diaphragm press, with respect to the result of the pressing operation. as well as with regard to the function as a conveying means connecting the treatment machines located upstream and downstream of the press.

The object is attained by the invention by disposing in front of the diaphragm press a preforming means arranged at the loading station, and by fashioning the pressure member to be level-adjustable and to include a pressure chamber for receiving the laundry bale formed in the preforming means.

A particularly advantageous construction of the pressing apparatus is obtained, according to a further embodiment of this invention, by providing that the pressure chamber is fashioned so that it can receive the laundry bale therein and has a shape suitable for the contact of the diaphragm along the wall.

The advantages obtained by the present invention reside, in particular, in that the laundry bale to be squeezed out is preformed and is fed in this, i.e., a quite specific, shape with always the same dimensions to the press from the loading station and is encompassed on all sides by the diaphragm disposed in the pressure member for wringing purposes. Since the diaphragm moves, during the pressing step, from the tensioned condition into the slack condition, it can contact the uneven surface of the laundry bale equally firmly everywhere and can produce a satisfactory and uniform pressing result. The pressure chamber of the pressure member furthermore has a shape which can be contacted by the diaphragm during subatmospheric pressure. The thus-formed hollow space can readily be occupied by the laundry bale without being urged away therefrom in the lateral direction. The mode of operation of the pressing of this invention is, therefore, also safe and suitable for automatic processing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other objects, advantanges and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken together with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration, several embodiments of the present invention and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the pressing apparatus in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a preforming device;

FIG. 3 is a partial cross sect-ion through pressure member and supporting member;

FIG. 4 is a side view of another embodiment of the pressing apparatus;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the preforming device of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view of the pressure member in the relaxed condition; and

FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view according to FIG. 6, in the tensioned condition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The pressing apparatus for the extraction of liquid from fibrous or granular material will be explained with reference to an embodiment serving for the dewatering of laundry. Referring now to the drawings and, in par ticular FIG. I, the diaphragm press provided for the pressing step consists of vertical columns 1 arranged in pairs on both sides of the press, a supporting member 2 with an oblique supporting surface 42 being attached to these columns. Grooves or bores 41 (FIG. 3) or similar means serve for draining the pressed-out water. A short extension 3 is arranged at the upper end face of the supporting member 2, and a longer extension 4 is attached to the lower end face of this member. Guide rollers 5 are disposed at the ends of these extensions 3 and 4, over which a liquid-permeable conveyor belt 6 is placed. The upper face of this conveyor belt 6 lies on the supporting surface 42 of the supporting member 2, while the lower face returns underneath the supporting member 2. Additional rollers 7 are provided for guiding and tensioning purposes. One of the guide rollers 5 is coupled with a drive motor (not shown), by means of which the conveyor belt 6 is set intoclockwise rotation. In parallel to and above the supporting member 2 is a pressure member 8, mounted to the columns 1 so that it is vertically adjustable along guide bushings 8'; this pressure member 8 surrounds an inner chamber 9 which is open toward the bottom. The opening plane of the pressure member, extending in parallel to the supporting surface 42 of the supporting member 2, is covered by an elastic diaphragm l deformable by a pressure medium which can be introduced into the pressure chamber 11 between the wall of the inner chamber 9 and the diaphragm 10.

For the vertical adjustment of the pressure member 8 along the columns 1, an adjusting means 12 arranged thereabove is provided, for example in the form of a hydraulic cylinder 13 with a piston 14, the piston rod 15 of which is attached with its lower end to the pressure member 8 by means of a flange 16. A bore 17 extends through the piston 14 and the piston rod 15, as well as through the wall of the pressure member 8; this bore connects the interior 18 of the cylinder with the pressure chamber 11. Pipelines 19 at the cylinder 13 serve for the feeding and discharging of the pressure fluid. A pressure valve 26 is bore 17 acting in both directions takes care that the pressure fluid can flow through the bore 17 only after a preset pressure has been overcome.

The space between the pressure member 8 and the supporting member 2 represents the pressing station, while the upper end of the conveyor belt 6 is the unloading station from which the squeezed-out material falls downwardly into the hopper 20 of the dryer constituting the subsequent machine. The loading station of the pressing apparatus is in the lower longitudinal zone of the conveyor belt 6. A preforming device 43 is arranged in the loading station. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 3, this preforming device consists of a box-shaped housing 21 attached to the extension 4 and surrounding a space above the conveyor belt 6. The dimensions of this space are selected so that the laundry bale 27 can pass safely and completely underneath the opening of the pressure member 8 and thus into the interior 9 thereof. The end face of the housing 21 disposed at the top as seen in the conveying direction is open and serves as the aperture 22, for introducing the material to be pressed, which comes from the washing machine connected upstream thereof, the drum 23 of this washing machine terminating above the opening 22. The water running out of the drum 23 while a batch of laundry is filled into the housing 21 and the water squeezed out during the pressing step is collected by a trough 24 extending over the length and width of the conveyor belt 6 and is discharged by way of a drain pipe 25.

It can be seen that the batch of laundry falling out of the drum 23 is floated into the housing 21 by the simultaneously exiting water and forms therein a compact, preformed bale of laundry 27. Since the water can readily drain away, a preliminary dewatering step and a shaping of the laundry batch are thus carried out. Once the conveyor belt 6 is set into motion, the laundry bale 27 moves upwardly together with the belt while essentially retaining its given shape even after leaving the housing 21. Mechanical or optical feelers or scanning means ofa known type effect the arrest of the conveyor belt 6 when the laundry bale 27 is in the correct position between the supporting member 2 and the pressure member 8.

By withdrawing pressure fluid from the hydraulic cylinder 13 out of the lower pipeline 19, the pressure member 8 moves downwardly due to its own weight, and due to subatmospheric pressure in the pressure chamber 11, the diaphragm 10 is kept in contact with the wall of the inner chamber 9 at least partially. When the lower position is attained, pressure fluid is conveyed through the upper-pipeline 19 into the hydraulic cylinder 13 so that the pressure member 8 is firmly pressed with its edge onto the supporting member 2. Then, when a predetermined pressure, has been exceeded, pressure fluid flows through the bore 17 into the pressure chamber 11 and presses the diaphragm 10 against the laundry bale 27. Since the diaphragm 10 is tensioned while in contact with the wall of the inner chamber 9, the diaphragm is constantly relaxed during the pressing step. Thus, the diaphragm can extensively adapt itself to the surface of the laundry bale 27 and consequently all areas of the laundry bale 27 are exposed to a uniform pressure and the liquid contained therein is uniformly squeezed out. The liquid is discharged downwardly into the trough 24 and is drained to the outside via the drain pipe 25.

After the preset pressing time has expired, the pressure fluid is sucked out of the upper pipeline 19 and thus out of the pressure chamber 11, until a vacuum is obtained. Then, pressure fluid flows again through the lower pipeline 19 into the hydraulic cylinder 13 and lifts the pistion 14 and thus the pressure member 8 into the starting position, indicated in FIG. 1 in dot-dash lines. Thereafter, the conveyor belt 6 begins its operation. The squeezed-out laundry bale 27 enters the unloading station and falls downwardly via the guide roller 5 into the hopper 20. During the pressing step, the housing 21 of the preforming unit 43 was filled with the next batch of laundry which, with the same conveying motion, moves from the loading station into the pressing station, where the conveyor belt 6 is stopped as described above.

The preforming step and the dewatering operation in the housing 21 can be enhanced, according to FIG. 2, by providing an elastic bellows 28 or the like in the interior of this housing 21. This bellow 28 contacts, in the rest position, the inner side of the housing 21 due to vacuum. A pipeline 29 conducts the pressure medium into the pressing space 38 between the housing 21 and the bellows 28. The latter is thereby pressed against the floated-in bale of laundry 27, so that the liquid contained in the latter is pressed under acceleration through the bores 30 of a supporting plate 31 arranged underneath the conveyor belt 6. When the pressure fluid is taken in again by the pipeline 29, the bellows 28 again contacts the inner side of the housing 21.

In order to render, during the pressing step, the counter-forces for the adjusting means 12 ineffective, the supporting member 2 and the pressure member 8 are each provided, according to FIG. 3, with a lateral projection 32. These projections 32, arranged on both sides, are surrounded in the pressing position by a clamp 35 pivotably mounted about a pin 33 at a lug 34 of the supporting member 2. This clamp is held in the closed position by means of a compression spring 36 and is pivoted by means of an adjusting device 37, for example a lifting magnet or solenoid or a pressuremedium cylinder, in the clockwise direction into the release position, at least for unlocking after the pressing step. The pivotal motion of the bracket 35 for the locking of pressure member and supporting member prior to the pressing step can also be effected mechanically by an inclined part 39 at the upper e-ndofthe clamp which contacts the projection 32 of the pressure member 8 and presses the clamp 35 outwardly in the clockwise direction during the further lowering motion. Once the pressing position has been reached, the clamp 35 snaps shut by the force of the compression spring 36, assuming the illustrated locked position. So that both projections 32 can contact the clamp 35, the latter is mounted in the lug 34 to be vertically yielding within a slotted hole 34. In order to protect the adjusting means 37 from water sprays, a cover 40 is provided, which is attached to the supporting member 2.

A further embodiment is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. In this arrangement, the adjusting unit 12 is disposed on the platform 44 connecting the columns 1 at the top, together with a tank 45 for receiving the pressure fluid and with the pumps 46 for generating the squeezing pressure. The upper as well as the lower faces of the conveyor belt 6 are guided over the supporting member 2, a water-permeable plate 47 being arranged underneath the upper belt face, which plate comes into contact with the lower face of the conveyor belt 6 during the pressing step and transmits the pressure forces.

The preforming device 43 in this embodiment consists of an oval container 48 which is open at the top and the front half-shell 48 of which is pivotably mounted to lateral pins 49 so that this half-shell can pivot from the forming position illustrated in full lines in FIG. 4 in the counterclockwise direction into the re- 1 lease position shown in dobdash lines. In this release position, the preformed laundry batch can leave the preforming device 43 through the thus-produced opening in the direction of the pressing station. A pressure medium cylinder 50 serves for thepivoting of'the halfv shell 48'. The piston rod 51 of this cylinder is hinge'dly joined to a lever 52 connected with one of the pins 49.

carries a downwardly extending pressurernedium cylinder 56, the piston rod 57 of which is joined to a cross 1 beam 58 which, in turn, is vertically adjustable with the,

aid of guides 59 displaceable along the columns 54. At the center, this cross beam 58 carries a round pressure plate 60 eccentrically mounted about an axle 72, so that, in the lifted rest position, the half pointing in the conveying direction is inclined downwardly. Upon the introduction of pressure medium into the pressure medium cylinder 56 through the upper feed line 61, the pressure plate 60 is lowered into the position shown in dot-dash lines and contacts the batch of laundry 27 disposed in the container 48. This batch is thereby compressed, so that it receives a shape, by contacting the container 48 and the pressure plate 60, which can with certainty be received, especially with respect to its outline, by the inner chamber 9 of the pressure member 8. Since the laundry bale 27 expands somewhat during its transport from the loading station into the pressing station. the outline of the container 48 must be smaller than the outline of the inner chamber 9.

In FIG. 3, the diaphragm I0 is clamped firmly to the edge of the pressure member 8 by means of a ring 62. During the pressing step, the projections 32 contact the clamp 35. Due to the necessary clearance, the pressure member 8 is lifted by the amount of this clearance, so

that a gap is produced between the pressure member 8 and the supporting member 2. A piece of laundry could squeeze into this gap and thus be damaged or could 5 lead to disturbances in the operation of the apparatus.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show other means for supporting the diaphragm 10 in the pressure member 8 to avoid this disadvantage. The diaphragm 10' consists of a circular plate 63 with a rim 64 which is cylindrical on the outside, a circular recess 65 being provided in the base of this rim along the entire circumference. An essentially round reinforcing ring 66 is disposed in this recess; at the top, this reinforcing ring has a horizontal contact surface 67, contacted by a stop 68 mounted to the inside of the pressure member 8 when the diaphragm 10' is retracted. The outwardly oriented zone of the rim 64 disposed above the reinforcing ring 66 is fashioned as a sealing lip 69 which sealingly contacts the cylindrical counter surface 70 of the pressure member 8 at least when the plate 63 is pressed upwardly on the inside due to a vacuum in the pressure chamber 11 or because of a laundry bale 27, as indicated in FIG. 7 showing the pressing position. In.the latter, the'stops 32 contact the clamp 35, and the gap 71 is present between the pressure member 8 and the supporting member 2. Due to the high internal pressure in the pressure chamber 11, the diaphragm 10' remains in contact with the supporting member 2 on the outside, i.e., it moves axially outwardly by the amount of the length of gap 61. In FIG. 6, the pressure member 8 is resting on the supporting member 2, indicated only as a dot-dash line, with the projection 32, the gap 71 being located above the upper projection 32.

According to FIG. 7, the reinforcing ring 66 can be 5 extended in the upward direction and can be drawn toward the outside, so that the abutment surface 67' is createdwhich, in the retracted position of the diaphragmiltl, rests against the abutment 68' which is fixedly mounted at the housing and fashioned as a drilled-out ring. Since, in the lifted position of the pres- Sure'member-S, there is alwaysa vacuum in the pressure chamber 11, the diaphragm 10 is safely held in its retracted position shown in FIG. 6, even if the pressure member 8 is lifted off the supporting member 2.

: The conveyor belt 6 can be disposed so that it rises obliquely or so that'it extends horizontally if no difference in height needs to be overcome.

While I have shown and described several embodiments in accordance with 'the present invention, it is to be clearly understood that the same is susceptible of numerous changes and modifications as will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art based upon the foregoing specification. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the details shown and described herein but intend to cover all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. Pressing apparatus for the squeezing out of liquid from fibrous or granular material, especially for the wringing out of laundry, consisting of a diaphragm press with a pressure member, the pressure chamber of which is covered by a diaphragm, a pressure medium being introducible into this pressure member to deform the diaphragm, and with a liquid-permeable conveyor belt extended in parallel underneath the diaphragm and being supported by a supporting member, this conveyor belt being movable, with the material to be pressed lying thereon, from a loading station into the pressing station underneath the pressure member and from there into the unloading station, characterized in that a preforming device disposed at the loading station is located upstream of the diaphragm press, and that the pressure member is adapted to be vertically adjustable and is provided with a pressure chamber for receiving the laundry bale shaped in the preforming device.

' 2. Pressing apparatus according to claim' 1, characterized in that an inner wall of the pressure chamber is adapted to receive the laundry bale therein and has a shape suitable for the contact of the diaphragm along said inner wall of said pressure chamber.

3. Pressing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the outline of the inner chamber of the pressure member is round.

4. Pressing apparatus according to claim I, characterized in that the diaphragm is formed as a round disk of an elastic material with an edge around the circumference which has a sealing lip contacting a sealing surface of the pressure member, and a reinforcing ring being in contact with this edge on the inside.

5. Pressing apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that no connecting elements are provided between the diaphragm and the pressure member.

6. Pressing apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the reinforcing ring has an abutment surface, and stops are provided at the pressure member to limit, during subatmospheric pressure. the entrance of the diaphragm into the pressure chamber.

7. Pressing apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the contacting zones of the reinforcing ring and the edge are of a round shape in cross section, and the sealing lip is arranged above the reinforcing ring, and the elastic plate of the diaphragm is arranged below the reinforcing ring.

8. Pressing apparatus according to claim I, characterized in that the preforming device is fashioned as a pocket-like housing with an opening lying in the conveying direction.

9. Pressing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the conveyor belt is disposed so that it rises obliquely continuously from the loading station to the unloading station, wherein the supporting surface between the pressure member and the supporting member has the same inclination.

l0. Pressing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the pressure member is displaceably mounted at columns and is movable, by an adjusting means into a lifted release position and into a lowered pressing position.

I l. Pressing apparatus according to claim 1, charac terized in that, for locking the pressure member together with the supporting member during the pressing step, projections are provided at the pressure member and at the supporting member, the projections being encompassed by a clamp movablyarranged at the supporting member.

l2. Pressing apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that an elastic bellows, which can be deformed toward the inside by a pressure medium, is provided in the housing.

I3. Pressing apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the adjusting means is fashioned as a hydraulic cylinder, the piston rod of which, connected with the pressure member, is penetrated by a bore placing the inner cylinder space in communication with the pressure chamber of the pressure member.

14. Pressing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the preforming device has a container open at the top, the half-shell ofwhich, provided in the conveying direction, is removable, a vertically adjustable pressure plate being arranged to be movable into the opening of this half-shell.

l5. Pressing apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that the pressure plate is eccentrically mounted to the piston rod of a pressure medium cylinder, so that, in the lifted position, the half pointing in the conveying direction is lowered. =l =l l 

1. Pressing apparatus for the squeezing out of liquid from fibrous or granular material, especially for the wringing out of laundry, consisting of a diaphragm press with a pressure member, the pressure chamber of which is covered by a diaphragm, a pressure medium being introducible into this pressure member to deform the diaphragm, and with a liquid-permeable conveyor belt extended in parallel underneath the diaphragm and being supported by a supporting member, this conveyor belt being movable, with the material to be pressed lying thereon, from a loading station into the pressing station underneath the pressure member and from there into the unloading station, characterized in that a preforming device disposed at the loading station is located upstream of the diaphragm press, and that the pressure member is adapted to be vertically adjustable and is provided with a pressure chamber for receiving the laundry bale shaped in the preforming device.
 2. Pressing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that an inner wall of the pressure chamber is adapted to receive the laundry bale therein and has a shape suitable for the contact of the diaphragm along said inner wall of said pressure chamber.
 3. Pressing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the outline of the inner chamber of the pressure member is round.
 4. Pressing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the diaphragm is formed as a round disk of an elastic material with an edge around the circumference which has a sealing lip contacting a sealing surface of the pressure member, and a reinforcing ring being in contact with this edge on the inside.
 5. Pressing apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that no connecting elements are provided between the diaphragm and the pressure member.
 6. Pressing apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the reinforcing ring has an abutment surface, and stops are provided at the pressure member to limit, during subatmospheric pressure, the entrance of the diaphragm into the pressure chamber.
 7. Pressing apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the contacting zones of the reinforcing ring and the edge are of a round shape in cross section, and the sealing lip is arranged above the reinforcing ring, and the elastic plate of the diaphragm is arranged below the reinforcing ring.
 8. Pressing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the preforming device is fashioned as a pocket-like housing With an opening lying in the conveying direction.
 9. Pressing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the conveyor belt is disposed so that it rises obliquely continuously from the loading station to the unloading station, wherein the supporting surface between the pressure member and the supporting member has the same inclination.
 10. Pressing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the pressure member is displaceably mounted at columns and is movable, by an adjusting means into a lifted release position and into a lowered pressing position.
 11. Pressing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, for locking the pressure member together with the supporting member during the pressing step, projections are provided at the pressure member and at the supporting member, the projections being encompassed by a clamp movably arranged at the supporting member.
 12. Pressing apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that an elastic bellows, which can be deformed toward the inside by a pressure medium, is provided in the housing.
 13. Pressing apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the adjusting means is fashioned as a hydraulic cylinder, the piston rod of which, connected with the pressure member, is penetrated by a bore placing the inner cylinder space in communication with the pressure chamber of the pressure member.
 14. Pressing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the preforming device has a container open at the top, the half-shell of which, provided in the conveying direction, is removable, a vertically adjustable pressure plate being arranged to be movable into the opening of this half-shell.
 15. Pressing apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that the pressure plate is eccentrically mounted to the piston rod of a pressure medium cylinder, so that, in the lifted position, the half pointing in the conveying direction is lowered. 